Mother’s Day DIY Crafts – Handprints Captured on Canvas

There is nothing sweeter than watching your children sleep. A blob full of mashed bananas might be embedded in the back of the couch, LEGOs might be throw all over the playroom floor, drawers full of clothing might not be properly folded, but watching the deep breaths of your sweet child rise and fall in their sleep brings peace and rest to a mother’s heart.

This past week I was watching my two girls (ages 3 and 4) slumber, and I was marveling at their hands. Seems like just the other day they came home with me from the hospital and their little hands wrapped perfectly around my pointer finger. Now they are growing, getting larger and usually covered in marker or other remnants of the day’s events. It’s so sweet to capture these hands in time, not only in one’s memory.

When my children turned two, I had a canvas made with their handprints in mine. Below each handprint we wrote the child’s name and age – my name and age too! I hang this canvas in each of their rooms, and it is a sweet way for us to remember and watch how we grow. I look forward to the day where I can hand these prints down to their own home and perhaps we can make one with their future children.

The project is very easy.

Pick up a white or colored canvas and grab different paint colors matching your child’s room or allow everyone to share the same color.

Paint each individual’s hand, and slowly press down the back of the hand to the canvas board. Do not overpaint the hand or the paint will bleed, not creating the perfect hand print.

Carefully pressing down on top of your child’s fingers helps to prevent pockets where the skin doesn’t press against the canvas enough, creating gaps.

Allow 24 to 48 hours to fully dry. If you are feeling creative, try this out with footprints too, or make one each year and watch your children age over a wall of canvas hand prints.

Enjoy your precious memories captured in time!

Guest blogger Ashley Nuzzo is a former teacher turned professional blogger. She is the mother of two young girls. Ashley owns and operates the website FrugalCouponLiving.com. Geared toward helping readers stretch their pennies and save their dollars, Frugal Coupon Living focuses on finding great deals both online and in local and national stores. National press includes Dr. Phil, The Washington Post, Good Housekeeping, and All You Magazine. She is a DealPro with Savings.com.